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Game Day: Louisville at North Carolina

By Mike Rutherford

LOUISVILLE CARDINALS (2-2) AT NORTH CAROLINA TAR HEELS (4-1, 1-1)

Game Time: Noon

Location: Kenan Stadium: Chapel Hill, N.C.

Television: ESPN2

Announcers: Bob Wischusen (play-by-play) and Bob Davie (analyst)

Favorite: North Carolina by 13.5

All-Time Series: Louisville leads 3-2

Last Meeting: Louisville won 69-14 in 2005

Statistics

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Excitement Level: 7.8

It appears as though we're outmatched at virtually every position, but knowing that maximum effort will be given and that there's the potential for Teddy to "let it rip" exists still has me excited. Plus, I've heard Kenan and Chapel Hill are quite aesthetically pleasing, and I'm looking forward to seeing that.

Game Attire: Red Louisville football shirt, red/white Louisville hat

I feel like you almost have to sport red when you're at an away game. This shirt actually hasn't been worn since the UK football game last year, and this is the perfect opportunity for it to exorcise some demons.

The Art jersey? Again, I don't wanna mess this thing up. I don't wanna push too far.

Pregame Meal: Whatever breakfast food they have in North Carolina. Don't they eat goat? I don't know, I'm not very good with culture. Also, I'll be drinking.

Bold Prediction: We intercept more than one pass.

Bold predictions have been steadily improving and I'm feeling strangely confident about this one.

Titus Teague Playing Alert Level: Tropical Rain Forest (better than you probably think, but still not good)

Predicted Star of the Game: Josh Chichester

Chi-Daddy loves the road. Remember Rupp?

NOTABLE

--Louisville has won the last two meeting between the two schools by a score of 103-14.

--Carolina is seeking its eighth straight win over a non-conference opponent. The Tar Heels have not lost to a team outside the ACC since the 2010 opener vs. LSU. UNC is 15-3 since 2008 against non-conference teams.

--The Tar Heels are seeking their first 4-0 start at Kenan Stadium since 1997.

--Louisville has not won on the road when it's been a double-digit underdog since beating Southern Miss (-13) on November 4, 2000. In fact, the only other game the Cardinals have won as a double-digit dog since 1990 was the 2002 home upset of Florida State (-14.5). (Thanks, Hot Hot)

--UNC freshman running back Gio Bernard is looking to become the first Tar Heel to rush for over 100 yards in four straight games since Ethan Horton in 1984.

--Bernard leads all freshman runners in the country with 109.6 yards per game. Overall, he ranks third in the league and 19th in the country.

--All four of Louisville’s opponents this season have averaged fewer than 3.0 yards a carry.

--Louisville is 11-1 against the spread in their last 12 games against ACC opponents.

--Louisville is 0-2 this season against teams with two-worded nicknames (i.e., "Tar Heels"). The Cardinals fell to both Florida International (Golden panthers) and Marshall (Thundering Herd).

--Louisville leads the nation in tackles for loss, averaging nine tackles for loss per game. The defense has not allowed a 300-yard passer for 18 straight games.

--North Carolina place kicker Casey Barth will not play because of an injury.

--UNC WR Dwight Jones has had at least five receptions in eight straight games, including 11 of the last 13. Jones is third in the ACC in receptions per game (6.6) and second in receiving yards per game (102.8).

--The Cardinals have played 23 players who have made their first collegiate appearances through the first four games.

--Carolina has scored on 15 of 18 opportunities in the red zone. All 15 were touchdowns. The three chances UNC did not convert were a fourth down stop at the 2-yard line at ECU, a fumble at the 2-yard line vs. Virginia and a victory formation at the end of the Rutgers game. In 18 trips in the red zone, UNC’s opponents have scored just seven touchdowns.

-- UNC interim head coach Everett Withers was the defensive coordinator at Louisville under Ron Cooper from 1995-97.

--The 69 points and nine touchdowns surrendered by North Carolina the last time they faced Louisville (2005) are both school records.

--Louisville is 18-35-1 all-time against current members of the Atlantic Coast Conference, but has won three straight. Their last loss was to Virginia Tech in the '06 Gator Bowl.

Quotable

"We know we have a really tough challenge this week with the team that's like a tiger in the corner. We expect a very emotional, fired-up Louisville team to come in here Saturday, and we've got to do a good job both offensively and defensively in the special teams because we know that we're going to get their best. "--UNC Coach Everett Withers

--"Louisville will have something different. They'll take something from the last two weeks and put something in their offense. That's what people do. So who knows what we'll see." --Withers

--"Nothing needs to be said when you have a poor performance on Saturday. You don't have room to talk. It's about getting better and just keeping your mouth shut and going about your business." --Charlie Strong

--"I feel like we’re one of the most blitzed teams in America. And I mean, you kind of get used to it. You just know (Louisville is) going to try to bring some exotic things and they’re going to try to bring pressure all the time." --UNC guard Jonathan Cooper

--"They lost last week to Marshall, so they have a point to prove. We can’t have them come out here and prove that point on us." --UNC CB Charles Brown

--(UNC DE Quinton Coples) is a tremendous player — probably he’ll be the best one we’ll see this year. He can run like a deer, he’s an extremely powerful guy and equally as effective against the run as he is against the pass. We’ll have our hands full with him. You have to make sure that you account for him in your scheme, there’s no question about that. He deserves that kind of respect."" --U of L offensive line coach Dave Borbely

--"We know our O-line is one of the best in the country. Every series the skill player who scores goes and thanks the O-line because we couldn’t do it without them." --UNC QB Bryn Renner

--"We have to prove to people that we can play, because we know we can. We just have to bring it. It’s not like we can just roll the ball out there and beat people. We’re not that kind of group. We have to be focused." --Alex Kupper

--"In terms of adjustments, the protection is the protection. There’s only so many guys you can keep in to protect. There’s only so many different blocking schemes. We’re not going to design new schemes; we’re going to try to get better at the ones we have." --Borbely

--"We have a lot of good things going on, but we could even be better. When you’re searching for perfection, you want to try to get some excellence on the way. That is what we’re trying to do." --Withers

--"My arm might not be completely 100 percent — it’s probably 85 or 90 — but that’s good enough for me. I can complete every pass I need to." --Will Stein

--"The new players are still trying to figure out what to do and how he wants it done. As upperclassmen, we’re trying to harp into their heads what he wants is just pure excellence." --Josh Chichester

--"We’re still trying to feel our way around what identity that this team has. I think we’ll get there." --Mario Benavides

Card Chronicle Prediction: North Carolina 35, Louisville 20

GO CARDS.

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